Does making a league playable change the way teams perform?

Don't know if anyone has noticed/expierenced something similar, but in my case as the winner of MLS I receive an automatic berth of the now-defunct Champion's Cup. Invariably, I'd run up against Club America of Mexico and their players would fly around the field, beating me 6-0 on one occasion. This happened every time I entered the Champion's Cup, meaning at least 10 times in total. Recently, however, I decided to include the Mexican League as a playable option and suddenly I'm trouncing my Mexican counterparts, and they seem to be the ones trudging around the field while I fly by. My personnel is quite similar from game to game and I always use the same tactic. Has anyone else seen this happen? Possibly in the Champion's League or something?

It's because when the Mexican league is not playable, the teams in that league have their squads populated by "grey" players. These players do not suffer from morale or suspension or injury and perform far above the levels that you would expect.

This issue was lessened with the most recent patch but is still far from perfect.

By making thye Mexican leagues playable you pupulate the squads of the Mexican teams with real players and their advantage is gone.

SI are aware of this but didn't get it right I'm afraid.

well think about it if you load a league then all the teams will have real players and all the players will play the league and national cup games so they can get

-tired

-injured

-out of form

-suspended

-etc

it makes a clear difference if you load leagues

It's not just that though. Grey players for some reason perform at a level significantly higher than their stats would suggest.

The team's usually have their full roster, or at least 90% of it, and before the game the player to watch segment usually identifies the goalie as only haven given up 15 goals in 36 matches so far (or some other incredible amount.) One time Club America came into the game unbeaten in their last 27 games so I guess their confidence was a bit high...

Don't know if anyone has noticed/expierenced something similar, but in my case as the winner of MLS I receive an automatic berth of the now-defunct Champion's Cup. Invariably, I'd run up against Club America of Mexico and their players would fly around the field, beating me 6-0 on one occasion. This happened every time I entered the Champion's Cup, meaning at least 10 times in total. Recently, however, I decided to include the Mexican League as a playable option and suddenly I'm trouncing my Mexican counterparts, and they seem to be the ones trudging around the field while I fly by. My personnel is quite similar from game to game and I always use the same tactic. Has anyone else seen this happen? Possibly in the Champion's League or something?

Yes, it makes a SIGNIFICANT difference which is why I think we should be able to add/drop leagues mid-game without starting over so we can compensate ourselves for in-game imblances as we progress.