Nasri, on loan in Spain from Manchester City, was shown a second yellow card when the two players went head to head in the 74th minute -- and the Premier League champions held on to the 2-0 lead they had at the time to advance 3-2 on aggregate.

Nasri was furious at Vardy's reaction, with the England international throwing his head back when they came together.

"He didn't say anything but he played it well," Nasri told reporters after the game. "We went face to face and then he fell on the floor [sic]. I thought the English player was tougher than that. He was the one who came to my face, and then went on the floor. He played it well.

"For me, he is a cheat. Because if he was a foreign player, you the English press would say he is a cheat. For me, he is a cheat. 

"They were winning 2-0, play the game like a man. Win it. You are not better than us but you are winning 2-0, you will qualify, just play the game. You have quality, you are an international player, you don't need to do that."

While Nasri admitted he had reacted to the situation, he was adamant there was no contact with the Leicester forward.

Jamie Vardy throws his head back after the confrontation with Samir Nasri.

"Yes, I did but I didn't touch him," he added. "I didn't do anything with my head. He went on the floor and then the referee gave us both a yellow card."

The former France international insists that Vardy dived and won the second yellow card against him.

"You don't think so? Look at the image," Nasri said when asked if Vardy dived. "Yes he did it, but he did it well. I should have thought about it before and been smarter. If I tell the truth I think you won't be able to write it.

"I would love to speak to him but you know too many cameras, too many security, and I have to think about next year and not getting a big suspension.

"I was surprised but like I said I should have thought about it and not reacted. But come on man, I am losing, I see the whole thing, coming out of the Champions League, which is a big blow for us, it was just a reaction."

Leicester will find out their quarterfinal opponents in Friday's draw, which takes place at 11 a.m. GMT, 7 a.m. ET.