No, no no, it's not bad luck. This game is a crap.
I knew it from the beginning but continue to play just because I have some money and tokens left. I'll stop when I won't.

I've just finished 8th last season, being one of the most rated team of the championship, loosing against teams playing silly tactics (3 forwards & only 1 central defender WTF ???), even while giving money to my players for each win.
The same team with more experience and better players (5/6-stars) starts this season with an even at home vs à 4-star team, a victory away vs a 3-star team, and a defeat at home vs a 4-star team. Even with my +13% bonus, possession was exactly the SAME. I couldn't score more than 1 goal while being offensive or very offensive against a team that plays with only three 4-star defenders vs my 5-6 stars forwards in full mental and condition.

If you want a really good game of football management, play Football Manager.
This one is just meant to steal your real money with the auction system while providing no logical results.
I'm pretty sure you gain a hidden advantage at buying tokens with real money, I've done it twice at the beginning of the game and couldn't stop winning. I haven't done that for many seasons and can never win versus the same crappy teams...