Former Monaco and Marseille defender Lilian Martin, 54, has started a new life driving a taxi in Nice. He still delights in recalling a career that included a Champions League semi-final against Juventus.
According to L’Équipe, Martin played for Dunkerque under Alex Dupont, and after a carnival-night 2-2 with Marseille in 1995 Monaco’s Jean-Luc Ettori came to watch him. He joined Monaco in 1996.
Jean Tigana used him at left back on debut against Lyon, a 0-0, and Monaco ended that season as champions. The next campaign brought a semi-final with Juventus.
Monaco lost the first leg 1-4 as Alessandro Del Piero scored three. Martin felt the Zidane man-marking plan backfired and saw Del Piero’s free-kick zip past from the wall.
The return finished 3-2. He recalls narrowly missing a heavy tackle on Del Piero and, after checking his temper, setting up Robert Spehar for the winner, Monaco’s only victory over Juventus.
His third year soured after Claude Puel replaced Jean Tigana in January 1999. Courbis took him to Marseille that summer, but injury, a coaching change and Bernard Tapie’s return put him in the loft, before a brief spell at Hibernian with Franck Sauzée.
A difficult post-career led him to the taxi exam, encouraged by his Niçoise partner’s father. Full time since 1 January, he says he has driven Ludovic Giuly and Djibril Cissé, and even took a fare to Milan on an agreed price, not the meter.
