By James Copnall BBC West African football correspondent

Enyeama says Enyimba's fans are not easy to please

Enyimba goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama is worried the pressure of playing at home could hurt his team's defence of their Champions League title.

Africa's top clubside have a good record in their stadium in the south-eastern Nigerian town of Aba.

But Enyeama says his team-mates feel the heat every time they play there.

"There is a lot more pressure on us when we play back at home," he told BBC Sport.

"We are more at ease when we play away from home.

"When we play at home we are very tense. We want to win to satisfy our fans and it makes it a little difficult.

"We have lost at home, but never in Caf games. It is horrible losing at home, as the fans don't take it well."

When we play at home, we are very tense Enyimba goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama

However, Enyeama attempted to play down suggestions that nothing less than retaining their African title will satisfy Enyimba's supporters.

"The team is not under pressure to win the title again but everyone is expecting us to do very well."

However, Enyeama may not be around for the rest of Enyimba's title defence: the Nigeria keeper is confident that a recent trial with English Premiership side Bolton will lead to a transfer.

If Enyeama does get his move, it would be a significant step in the career of a young player who has already achieved a lot.

As well as winning the Champions League, Enyeama represented his country in the 2002 World Cup and the 2004 African Cup of Nations.

"Playing in these tournaments gives you so much experience," he said.

"It has changed my approach to the profession, and I have made a lot of progress in the last two years."

But Enyeama's career has not been plain-sailing: he came in for heavy criticism from the Nigerian media after Enyimba's 6-1 defeat to Egypt's Ismaili last season and Nigeria's 3-0 loss to Brazil.

The negative media comments made him wary of speaking to the media and is still reluctant to talk about that period of his life.

Enyeama has managed to find respite in his university studies but he admitted that combining football with studying for a chemistry degree has not been easy.

"I am on the verge of finishing my project.

"Actually it should have been finished last year, but last year was a bit difficult because I was combining my national team and Champions League games.

"I think in the next few weeks I think I will defend my project [and finish my degree]," he explained.

Enyeama says the other students are not surprised by the superstar in their midst.

"They are not always amazed," he explained, "because I was a student before everyone knew me as a footballer."

But making strides on the football pitch, rather than in a laboratory, is what spurs him on.

"I am ambitious, and I think in a few years I will be playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world."