Hi,this mechanism comes from Cup competition: in Cup,draws are made by quality level,and not championship level.
I'm a level 15 player and I've a 94,2 quality level,so I'm facing a 17 Cup competition (facing 16 and 17 level teams with a quality similar to mine).

So I weren't the leader of a friend group of level 15, I also should have been relocated in some 16 or 17 level championship.

Maybe your friends team quality was compatible with the average quality of THAT (all is relative) 9 championship that needed an integration,while all level 9 championships compatible with your average quality were completed.

Try to get constantly improved in your team status,infrastructures....,if you think not only like a trainer,but like a manager,this game should give you match more interests...