Coldplay have denied, in a US federal court, that they copied parts of rock guitarist Joe Satriani's music for their hit song, 'Viva La Vida'.

Lawyers for the band argue that any similarities between the song and Satriani's 'If I Could Fly' were not enough to warrant damages.

Mr Satriani sued Coldplay in December, claiming they had used "substantial, original portions" of his 2004 song.

He is seeking a jury trial, damages and "any and all profits" from the song.

In court papers filed in Los Angeles, Coldplay also claim Mr Satriani's song "lacks originality" and should not receive copyright protection.

The guitarist's lawyer, Howard E King, said Coldplay's response was typical for copyright infringement cases and he reiterated that he thought the matter could have been resolved without legal action.

Following Mr Satriani's claim in December, Coldplay said in a statement on their website that the 52-year-old "did not write or have any influence on the song".

"If there are any similarities between our two pieces of music, they are entirely coincidental and just as surprising to us as to him," they added.

Coldplay are currently in the middle of a world tour promoting their latest album 'Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends'.