What do you expect. The Cup can draw together teams 2, 3, 4 levels apart with similar quality.

The higher level teams have much more scope to improve quickly because if they are 2 levels above you and buy 5* players from their market then they are equivalent to 7* to you.

The teams that have the best chance in the Cup are the ones that can and do improve. But level means nothing unless its used to buy quality.