"Rafaela Borggräfe has developed into a top keeper over many years in Freiburg and has also gained international experience by moving to another top league," said Achim Feifel, Bayer 04 Women sporting director: "After some injury-related concerns in this position, she now completes our goalkeeper team, so we are well prepared for the challenges in the coming months."
Borggräfe played for SC Freiburg from 2013 to 2024, interrupted by a one-year loan to FC Aarau in Switzerland in 2020/21. She has played a total of 59 Bundesliga matches for Freiburg since making her debut in 2021 and reached the DFB Pokal final in 2019 and 2023. Last summer, the 25-year-old signed for Liverpool, where she made four appearances. She progressed through all the Germany youth teams and was selected for the senior national team for the first time in December 2024. Borggräfe was also in the extended squad for Euro 2025.
"I'm really looking forward to my time at Bayer 04 and to concentrating fully on our joint targets," says Borggräfe: "I want to take on responsibility here and play my part in the team's success."
From the 2027/28 season, the Women’s Bundesliga will be organised by an independent league association. Following the unanimous decision taken at the DFB Bundestag (national conference) on Friday afternoon, the league’s separation from the DFB is now official.
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Following the Bundesliga clash against RB Leipzig (Sunday, 20 September, 15:30 CEST), some of the Werkself first team players will be heading off for the first international break of the season. Here is an overview of the Bayer 04 players called up for their national teams and all the details of their upcoming matches.
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A special visit to the BayArena: 222 members from volunteer fire brigades in Leverkusen, the Rheinisch-Bergisch district and the Oberbergisch district watched the Werkself’s 2–0 home win over Slovenian champions NK Celje live in the stadium. Bayer 04 had invited them to the 2026/27 Europa League opener as a thank-you for their tremendous dedication. They watched the match together in Block F4.
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The Bayer 04 U19s have extended their winning run with a fifth consecutive victory on Matchday 5 of the DFB Youth League’s preliminary round. Coach Patrick Greveraars’ side secured a 3–2 (2–1) win in their match against second-placed FC Viktoria Köln, with Burak Kir and Nebe Domnic scoring for the hosts in the first half before captain Ben Hawighorst found the net after the break.
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