Road to Success - How to Win the Cup

[Hejst]

So to avoid higher level opponents in cups, I must end the season with 8 high quality players and 6 low quality players, right? Now the question is how high or how low quality those players have to be? Can those 8 be all 9* players? What about those 6? I'm guessing less than 6*, but how much less? And how do you maintain your bonuses at maximum level with 14 players? Do you fill your team with lousy players in the first few days of the season?

Edit: In my case, those 8 players would be 7-8* players, more likely 7*. So how about the 6 others?