She played for VfL Wolfsburg[1] and BV Cloppenburg of the Frauen-Bundesliga, FC Zürich in Switzerland's Nationalliga A and Levante UD in Spain's Primera División.

The 2016 Champions League final saw Bernauer substituted in the 73rd minute, meaning she missed out on the chance to take a penalty in Wolfsburg's eventual shootout defeat to Lyon.

Her first season with the Italian club saw Bernauer played in an advanced midfield role, but she struggled to meet expectations as the veteran playmaker of a young Roma team.

Beside qualifying for the group stage of the UEFA Women's Champions League, she also won her fourth and final Swiss championship as a player with FCZ in June 2023.

She retains the vision and ability to find a key pass anywhere inside the opposition half, as well as holding a potent shot that can make Bernauer a long-range goal threat.