I suspect that the engine takes in league reputation is determining results

I started a new game at Young Boys in Switzerland. I am in my third season, in the Champions League, and I am doing very respectably in the CL, for a Swiss Super League team.

What my problem is that I was at Lokomotiv Moscow for 15 years, had an incredible top to bottom team, and never once advanced out of the group stage. It's ridiculous because my team was loaded with players worth $10,000,000, and here my most expensive player is worth $3,300,000 and only two players make over a million dollars a year.

yet, I tied Juvie at home with Young Boys.

SAME exact tactics.

Though Russia has a higher league reputation, it's not in the EU. I can't imagine what the difference could be?

Maybe the tactics you're using just suit the players you have at Young Boys better than they suited your Lokomotiv Moscow team.

the game does take club, league and player rep into account but only when you don't have low details in your preferences for unloaded leagues.

However in Russia it should be quite easy to get out of the group stages. Almost did it in Croatia with Dinamo but then get a huge string of injuries in the last few games.

I've went all Russia with Zenit and made it out.