There is a tapas bar and a red and yellow flag on the corner of practically every street in the centre of Glasgow so youd think Spanish fans converging on the city for the UEFA Cup final between Espanyol and Sevilla would feel at home. But the trip to the second city of the Empire has been a bit of a culture shock for the thousands of supporters who have flown in from the south of Europe.

First, there’s the weather. Tuesday was a crisp, clear and sunny spring day, but Sevilla fans in particular were caught off guard with the drop in temperatures at night. As the wind whipped up the Clyde, I heard one group of shivering, teeth-chattering Andalucians comment, It’s May and Im freezing to death. Whatever happened to global warming?

A group of blue-and-white kilted Espanyol fans were in for another surprise as they trouped into George Square in search of something to eat.

Their eyes rounded on the tiled tapas bar in the corner, windows draped in Spanish flags and castanets. It was 10:30 at night, a perfectly reasonable time to start the evenings entertainment back in Barcelona, but they were to be disappointed as they entered this little slice of Andalucia. Im sorry lads the kitchens closed, said the waiter as he upended the chairs on tables near the door. Try the Chinese round the corner. They eventually decided on a liquid supper.

Breakfast at my hotel was another reminder of the differing culinary and cultural traditions. A family group from Sevilla, wearing their On tour to Glasgow T-shirts, waded manfully through lukewarm baked beans, fried bread, potatoes, bacon and eggs but were pounced upon when one of them dared to try and light up a cigarette.

Smokings banned in Scotland, the waitress explained. Its bad for your health. Suitably chastened, he put the packet away, though he might have been wondering why they hadnt banned the breakfast for the same reason.

Glasgow must be delighted that two Spanish sides have reached the final. The Espanyol and Sevilla fans may disappoint local bars with the quantity of alcohol they consume, but their behaviour has so far been impeccable. There is no history of morbo (or needle) between these two teams and it should be the game itself that makes the headlines.

Spanish sports correspondent Simon Baskett is in Glasgow for the UEFA Cup final