Why Mikel Arteta shouted at Arsenal star vs Olympiacos as Champions League experiment backfires

Mikel Arteta was spotted giving Ben White some stern words during Arsenal's clash against Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League. The 27-year-old defender, who has lost his place in the starting line-up to Jurrien Timber, was given the chance to impress at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.

Shortly before Gabriel Martinelli put the Gunners ahead, tapping in the rebound from Viktor Gyokeres' strike, White took a throw-in in front of his manager's technical area. As the right-back went to pick up the ball, Arteta pulled him for a quick chat.

The Arsenalboss was right in his ear, giving him some advice. A few moments earlier, White had committed a foul after he was swept aside by one of the Olympiacos forwards.

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Much of the Greek outfit's play was being funnelled down his flank, with Daniel Podence and Gelson Martins eager to take on the Englishman. White was replaced by Timber in the second-half, dropping the curtain on a difficult evening.

Shortly before the former Leeds United and Brighton defender came off, Podence skipped past him far too easily. Fortunately for White, Olympiacos fluffed their lines and Arsenal held onto their one-goal lead.

Before the Olympiacos clash, the right-back had appeared just twice for the Gunners this season; the opening day of the new Premier League season and the third round of the Carabao Cup. It was White's first taste of European football since his cameo in the Champions League semi-final second leg back in May.

On Monday, Arteta was asked if there is greater pressure on his side to perform in the competition. Paris Saint-Germain knocked Arsenal out of the competition in the semi-finals last season, winning 3-1 on aggregate.

The French giants went on to become European champions, defeating Inter Milan 5-0 at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The Arsenal boss said: "We have the same ambition which is to go game by game and try to be better than the opponent, which is very difficult in this competition and win as many games as we can.

"Tomorrow we're going to have a really difficult one. We know how important the home form is going to be to reach in this phase where we want to arrive and tomorrow we have the opportunity to start well."

Arteta got his first taste of management on the European stage when Arsenal locked horns with Olympiacos in the Europa League back in February 2020. On facing the Greek champions again, the Spaniard said: "That's the beauty of football as well.

"I perfectly remember when we scored the goal, when we conceded the equaliser. The last chance that we had in the last second of the game as well to go through. What happened after that, as well, when COVID and everything hit, so it's part of the journey to get to where you are.

"It's a good example, like Willy [Saliba], to get where you want to get, sometimes you have to go through moments that you probably didn't expect to go through."