Roma coach Jose Mourinho was delighted after their 1-0 Europa League semifinal first-leg win against Bayer Leverkusen.

Edoardo Bove struck the winner at the Olimpico.

Mourinho said: "You have to give boys credit. They have this mentality, this desire and this empathy. They want to do everything to make the fans happy. The players responded well. It wasn't an easy match because it was mentally tough. It's difficult to play against Leverkusen, to stay focused for 90 minutes. They kill you when you lose the ball.

"Bove's growth is more the work of his parents, of his grandmother, than mine. He has extreme education, he has intellectual and academic training. He is a professional who seems to be 30 years old and then with the humility to grow little by little. Last year he came on the pitch at the end, this year he plays as a starter.

"He's grown emotionally. What I did is just my job which is to help him grow".